Brassiere



March 24, 1953 J E. ROBBINS 2,632,167

BRASSIERE Filed Nov. 21, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JEROZZiTI/ 5 BY i; 7x5 y ATToRwEts March 24, 1953 J. E. ROBBINS BRASSIERE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 21 1950 I NVENTOR NE Y5 BY I March 24, 1953 J. E. ROBBINS BRASSIERE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 21, 1950 IN VENTOR E E N R O n A Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to brassieres.

An object of this invention is to provide a brassiere which will snugly hold the breasts nd which includes means forming a part of each cup or pocket which will not cause any binding action during normal breathing and expansion or contraction of the chest.

Another object of this invention is to provide a brassiere which will not bind or become strained during any bending movements of the wearer.

A further object of this invention is to provide a brassire which includes an elastic uplift por ticn in each cup or pocket which will accommodate itself to breasts of varying sizes, and will produce the effect of equal size breasts.

A further object of this invention is to provide a brassiere wherein the lower portion of each cup or pocket is formed of either a two- Way stretch elastic fabric or of elastic fabric capable of stretching in a horizontal direction but substantially non-stretchable in a vertical direction. The lower portion of each pocket is also reinforced by one or more elastic bands which constitute a shape retaining means to resiliently resist stretching of the cup or pocket between the upper and lower edges thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a brassire which will maintain a definite division and spacing between the breasts.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a brassiere constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view looking from the inside of the brassiere with the latter in open position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary outer side elevation of one of the pockets of the brassiere.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4l i of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Figure 4 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of a modified form of this invention.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary plan view from the inside of the brassiere shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary front elevation of one of the pockets of the brassiere shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure '7.

Referring to the drawings and, first, to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the numeral iii designates generally a flexible band adapted to encircle the body which is provided with fastening members it for securing the ends of the band on the back of the wearer. The band ii] is formed with herns H and I2 on the lower and upper edges thereof, and shoulder straps it are secured to the upper portion of the band ii). The band It! has interposed in the front portion thereof a pair of pocket members generally designated as !5.

The pocket members l5 include a fabric membe 43 which is of non-elastic configuration and is formed with an inverted V-shaped upper portion i? to which one end of the shoulder strap i l is adapted to be detachably connected. The fabric member is has secured thereto a breast pocket member l8 which is formed of double thickness and relatively loosely woven fabric which is of substantially conical configuration with the outer edges of the fabric It stitched as indicated at I9 to the fabric H). An elastic insert generally designated as 24] is interposed in the band I0 and in the pocket members IE. The insert 29 includes a lower panel 2! having an elastic characteristic which is horizontally stretchable, but is non-elastic in a vertical position. The panel 2| may however, also be made of a two-way stretch elastic fabric.

The panel 2| is formed with a lower hem 22 secured by zigzag stitching 23. A vertically disposed strap 24 is secured by stitching 25 to the interior of the front of the panel 2|, extending upwardly from the lower edge thereof to the lower edge of the pocket member H3. The lower edge of the pocket member 58 is secured to the panel 2| by means of non-elastic stitching as indicated at 26. The panel 2! includes an integral panel 2? which projects upwardly from the stitching 26 into the lower portion of the pocket l8. The upper edge of the panel 27 is free from the inner surface of the pocket 18 so that the upwardly projecting portion of the panel 2'! above the stitching 25 may flex or stretch independently of the pocket member I8. The provision of the stitching 26 of a non-elastic characteristic also provides a means whereby when the band it is applied to the body the band may be tightened about the body to the desired degree without distorting the pockets it or the elastic panels 21.

A pair of elastic bands 28 and 29 are secured to the inner side of the lower panel 2| being secured thereto by means of zigzag stitching 30. The elastic strips 28 are disposed on a downward converging angle which terminates at the verti cal strap 24, at the center of the bottom portion a of each pocket and the strips 28 provide a means whereby the horizontal stretching of the panel 2! will be resisted by the reinforcing strips 28.

A second pair of elastic strips 3| and 32 are secured by means of zigzag stitching 33 to the inner side of the panel 21, being disposed in downwardly convergent relation with the apex thereof at the upper end. of the vertical strip 25.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 9, inclusive, there is disclosed a modified form of this invention embodying a relatively wide band 34 which is adapted to encircle the body, and the front portion of the band 34 has an insert 35 secured thereon. The insert 35 is of non-elastic characteristic, and a pair of substantially conical pocket members 38 are secured to the band 34 and the insert 35. The pocket members 36 are formed of non-elastic fabric 3'? which is secured. at its lower edge by non-elastic stitching 33 to the upper edge of an elastic panel 39. The elastic panel 39 is formed with a ll-shaped lower edge 40 which underlies the V-shaped upper edge 4| of the insert 35. The panel 39 is horizontally stretchable and has secured to the inner side thereof a lower pair of downwardly convergent strips 42 which are secured to the panel 39 by means of zigzag or elastic stitching A second pair of downwardly convergent strips 44 are secured to the inner side of the panel 39 below the pocket member 3?, being secured to panel 39 by means of zigzag or elastic stitching 45.

The stitching 38 is of non-elastic characteristic, and panel 39 is extended upwardly into the inside of pocket member 3'! as indicated at 46. The extension or upper panel 45 is of elastic characteristic, being horizontally stretchable, and the upper edge of extension 46 is free from the pocket member 31. The forward side of the extension or upper panel 46 has secured thereto a pair of downwardly convergent strips 41 which are secured to the extension or panel 46 by means of zigzag or elastic stitching 48. The strips 41 form a reinforcing means within the pocket 37 to resiliently resist undue stretching of the lower portion of the pocket 3i; whereas, the elastic panel 39 with the reinforcing elastic strips 42 and 44 will resist distortion of band 34 immediately below the pocket 31.

As shown in Figure 7 the band 34 has interposed in the lower rear portion thereof an elastic substantially triangular gusset 49 the purpose for which is obvious. The upper edge of the band 34 also has secured thereto a pair of shoulder straps 50, and the rear end of each strap 50 has secured between the end of strap 50 and the adjacent upper edge of band 34 an elastic band or strap 5i. The brassiere structure shown in Figures 7 to 9, inclusive, is designed for persons of relatively heavy characteristic both as to body and breasts.

What is claimed is:

1. A brassiere comprising a flexible band, and a pair of flexible pockets interposed in said band, each pocket being formed of a non-elastic upper member of loosely woven fabric and of substantially conical configuration, a lower elastic memher, and zigzag stitching securing the lower edge of said upper member to said lower member at a point spaced downwardly from and overlying the upper edge of said lower member whereby the upper portion of said lower member will underlie said upper member and may expand or contract independently of said upper member, that portion of said lower member projecting below said upper member constituting an elastic band insert having a substantially V-shaped upper edge conforming to the conical configuration of said non-elastic member whereby said band may expand or contract independently of said pocket.

2. A brassiere comprising a fabric band, and a pair of breast pockets interposed in said band, each pocket having a substantially parabolic configuration in front elevation, and each pocket being formed of a non-elastic substantially conical upper portion of loosely woven fabric with an elastic insert having a substantially V-shaped upper edge conforming to the conical configuration of said non-elastic member secured to the lower edge of said upper portion and interposed in said band, the point of attachment of said upper portion to said insert being positioned below the upper edge of said insert and exteriorly thereof whereby a substantially portion of said insert will be disposed within said upper portion, said insert being stretchable horizontally and vertically, said insert constituting a means whereby said band may expand and contract without distorting said pockets, and diagonally disposed bands diverging from the center of each pocket secured to the interior side of each elastic insert and terminating at the sides of said insert and centrally positioned elastic strips extending across the central portions of said band and said elastic inserts vertically, all of said bands being secured by elastic stitching.

3. In a brassire construction, a flexible band, a pair of flexible pockets interposed in said band, each pocket being formed of a non-elastic upper portion and an elastic lower portion, and a plurality of pairs of diagonally disposed elastic bands diverging from the center of each pocket, each pair diverging at a different angle, and secured by zigzag stitching along the marginal edges of each strip to the elastic portion, and a vertically disposed elastic strip extending longitudinally of the center of each pocket and secured to said diagonally disposed strips.

JACK E. ROBBINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,302,517 Berk Nov. 17, 1942 2,560,706 Spetalnik July 17, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 524,307 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1940 638,923 Germany Nov. 25, 1936 682,189 Germany Oct. 10, 1939 933,547 France Jan. 1, 1948 

